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Failures and accidents

Worker dies in collapse at Singapore viaduct site

A section of a viaduct being built in Singapore has collapsed, killing one worker and injuring 10 others.

The accident happened at about 0330 this morning, when a section between two piers collapsed at the site where the new road viaduct is under construction.

A statement from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that the contractor, Or Kim Peow Contractors Pte Ltd, was carrying out works to cast the deck for the new viaduct adjacent to a slip road. For the safety of motorists, the slip road had closed to traffic while the works were being carried out. The collapsed structure spilt onto the slip road, making the road impassable.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the corbels supporting the precast beams had given way. As a precautionary measure, LTA is checking its other sites.

LTA has begun safety investigations into the cause of the accident in order to see if there are any lapses or gaps that should be addressed urgently. Works at all LTA road and rail construction sites observed a ‘safety timeout’ this morning.

Eleven workers were working on top of the structure during the accident. The worker who died is from China, while among the injured, six are from Bangladesh, three from China and one from India.

“We are saddened by the accident and will do whatever we can to assist the families during this difficult time,” said the statement from the LTA.